‘Hysterical’ women pitted against ‘logical’ men…

Who is sounding hysterical these days — men or women — you tell me! The once powerful editor who has a battery of 97 lawyers ready to represent him against one woman in a defamation suit? Or the woman who is quietly, and with utmost dignity, getting ready to defend herself?

At the time of writing, Priya Ramani, who exposed MJ Akbar, former junior external affairs minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, has issued a simple statement stating ‘truth and truth alone’ will be her line of argument in court. Thousands of women have pledged their support, offering financial and legal help to Priya (refused by her). I am hoping this case is taken all the way to its logical conclusion without any intervention. Let it be THE case that once and for all establishes the ground rules of proper/improper conduct in the workplace.

Reversing the decline of share of women in the labour force should be a national priority.

Right now, too many people are taking advantage of the loopholes and obscuring the far-reaching consequences of the harassment issue. Hiding behind technical terms and misinterpreting legalities is not the answer. Talk to anybody these days — even supposedly ‘sensible’ people — and the dialogues remain the same: ‘Don’t you think women are behaving in a hysterical way… getting so worked up over maamuli stuff… overreacting to harmless gestures and comments?” This is generally followed by a casually articulated comment about men in general being far more ‘logical’, ‘rational’, and ‘practical’. Like with all generalisations, this one too reduces a vital dialogue to emotional piffle.

I have heard this puerile comparison for fifty years. Labelling a woman comes easily to society. It’s an age-old tactic for men to avoid owning up and taking responsibility. We are seeing a lot of it during #MeToo debates. Any form of sexual dominance has to do with power equations and unequal rights. For example, I cannot imagine a woman like Mayawati being sexually bullied or intimidated. I am sure she has dealt with it during her early days as Kanshi Ram’s ‘chosen one’. But ever since she has grabbed and wielded power on her own terms, I am certain it is Mayawati who calls the shots.

Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, as the world knows, and it is generally a lopsided arrangement, controlled by men who possess it. What #MeToo has successfully achieved is a rethinking of this premise. Women are seizing power denied to them for centuries. Not over men. But over themselves. Over their right to reclaim their bodies. This has upset insecure men the most. Men who are being named in ongoing discussions. Men who have taken their privileges and entitlements for granted. Suddenly, they have been stripped of that very cloak (allegedly, in MJ Akbar’s case, it was a bathrobe with nothing underneath) which protected their position — in the office, at home, in society. They are not about to relinquish any of it in a hurry. And women are equally determined not to surrender their hard-won jurisdiction over themselves. Unwilling to pander to male bullying and fiercely fighting back with all their moral might, women today are in that very position men have appropriated since time immemorial.

I hear the ‘defence’ trotted out by influential ‘friends of the accused — and cringe in shame. Some of these ‘character certificates’ have been issued by equally influential women in media — women with a dodgy reputation themselves. Women who have benefitted through their connections and liaisons with wealthy, well-connected patrons. It is one thing to remain loyal to old friends by refraining from bad-mouthing them publicly (surely, we have all done that at some point). But it is quite another to endorse their bad behaviour and exonerate them. It happened five years ago in the case of Tarun Tejpal (out on bail, though a fast-track hearing had been announced at the time).

I strongly feel if that case had been fairly and justly handled back then, we may not have come to this pass. If five years ago, the courts had responded swiftly and dealt with what had become a cause celebre, the message would have gone out loudly and clearly to other predators waiting to pounce on young, unsuspecting juniors. When they assumed that Tarun had gotten away, it emboldened them to believe so would they.

This is a major turning point. All we need is one prominent person to be sentenced. This can also happen if a PIL is filed quickly. Once again, citizens are looking at our wise and learned judiciary to do the right thing and set the much-needed example, before everything ends up at the bottom of a well.

As for all the ‘hysterical’ women and ‘logical’ men out there, please find better words, stronger arguments, more convincing alibis. This line of thinking is hopelessly dated and passé. There is just one way for men and women to behave — and that is responsibly. Any other conduct is unacceptable, if not downright criminal. The only logic that exists in the world is called ‘truth’. Get it?

Protests after Sabarimala and Jallikattu verdicts show that majoritarian views can dictate constitutional rights. SC must assert authority if it wants its decisions respected.

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